Casing head



il 49 3943- C. 9 1923. C. s. CLARKE v 9 CAS ING HEAD Filed Nov. 3o. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 21 i la zz 5 L9 L3 f .9

za 1j. i i6, 17 a E; 617 f'f la 7 x Jg 0 ,o 0

@MW Se aw/JMW.,

M @Hoz um) @et 9, i923,

319469,89@ c. s. CLARKE CASING HEAD Filed Nov. 30 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V 3 um ntofL Uf m@ (W ffoznm Patented @et 9, 1923.

rare

`ten

casina Henn.

application mea November so, 1921. serial No. 513,911..`

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CLEM SCLARKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Shreve ort, in the parish of-Caddo and State of ouisiana, have invented nevhand useful Improvements in Casing Heads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to casing heads for oil wells and its principal object is to improve generally and simplify the construction set forth in my Patent No. 1,040,940, for easing heads dated December 20, 1921 allowed July 27, 1921.

Another object of the invention is to pro` I vide novel well tube gripping elements for facilitating the raising or lowering ofthe tube, the gripping elem-ents being capable of being removed from one easing head after the tube has been raised to the -required pleight and then applied to a second casing ead.

My invention further provides gripping elements of this character which will retain the well tubing against both axialand longitudinal movement.

With the preceding and other objects and advantages in mind, my invention consists in the construction, formation and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fully defined, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional'view of my improved casing head illustrating the well tube in the act of being raised,

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are perspectives of the gripping elements embodied in the invention Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a casing head equipped with a supporting plate i for supporting the well tube after the same has been raised to the desired position,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the gripping elements engaged with the woll tubing,

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of my improved casing head, and

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8--8 of Fig.,6 the cover being re-.

moved.

Referring in detail to the drawings,

wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views the numeral 5 designates a casing head having the upper end of its bore flared or beveled outwardl as at 6. Below the flared or beveled en of the bore 6 the bore is formed with. a beveled or flared portion 7, the angle of which is of less degree than the flared or beveled end 6. In order to hold the string of well tubing indicated at 9, during the raising and lowering of the same into the well, thoreis-provided a plurality of coacting elements 10.

As shown in Fig. 8, I prefer to employ three of these gripping elements or segments 10. Each of these gripping elements 10 is arcuate in cross section and has its outer faces beveled at the same angle as the beveled or flared portions 7 of the bore of the casing head as indicated at 11. From a point adjacent the lower ends these gripping elements 1() are beveled at the sameangle'as the flared or beveled end 6 as designated at 12.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the inner faces of certain of the gripping elements 10 are provided with horizontally arranged serrations 13 while the remaining gripping element 10 is provided with vertically disposed serrations 14. With the gripping olements engaging the well tube 9 as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the horizontalserrations will hold the tubing against vertical movement while the vertical serrations 14 will hold the tubing against axial movement. As shown in Fig. 3, one pair of the gripping elements or segments are loosely connected together. This is accomplished b provid-l ing the outer faces of these mem ers with recesses 12 adjacent their abutting ends which affords vertical shoulders 13. Passing loosely through the shoulders 13 is a horizontal pin 14 having its end formed with heads 12a.

From the description thus far given it follows that the beveled outer surface of the gripping elements upon downward movement over the inclined surface 7 of' the bore of the casing head will cause the gripping elementsto bindingly engage the well tubing. Upon lifting the well tubing the coupling member 15 thereof will engage the lower ends of the gripping elements and raise the same. As the beveled ends 12 ride over the flared upper end 6 the gripping ele ments will be moved laterally away from each other and permit the tubing to pass therebetween.

The casing head is formed with an upstanding annular flange 16 at its upper end and an annular shoulder 17 inwardly of the flange. In order to hold the gripping element 10 against the withdrawal from tbe casing head there is provided a cover 18 which comprises a pair of semi-circular plates formed' with semi-circular flanges 19 rest-ing upon the'seat 17 provided with a packing ring 17 and held in this position by set screws 20 carried by the flange 16.

Extending vertically from each of the gripping elements 10 is a pin 21 which passes through radially disposed walls 22 in the plates 18. @ne pair of the pins carries a handle 23 While the other pin carries a handle 24E. It will beseen that the handles 23 and 24 may be grasped and the gripping elements pulled upwardlyv to discngage the same from the Well tubing when it is desired to do so.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be re- Y sorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A casing head having the upper end of its bore flared outwardly and also having its bore dared to a less degree from a point below the flared upper end, a plurality of gripping elements arranged in the casing head and adapted to engage a string of Well tubing passing through the casing head, the

neogeo-f1 outer faces of the gripping elements being f bers with the flared upper end of the bore the gripping elements will be caused to move laterally away from each other to permit the tubing passing upwardly.

2,The combination with a casing head having one end of itsbore beveled Qut- Wardly toward' its upper end, a plurality of coacting grippingelements arranged therein and having their outer faces beveled to correspond to the beveled end of the bore, of a cover removably attached' to the upper end of the casing head and provided With radially disposed slots and outstanding pins carried by the gripping elements and paing through the slots.

3. The combination with a casing head having one end of its bore beveled outwardly toward its upper end, three coacting gripping elements arranged' therein and having their outer faces beveled to correspond to the beveled end of the bore, of a cover removably attached to the upper end of the casing head and provided with radially disposed slots, outstanding pins carried' by the gripping elements and passing through the slots, a finger engaging element connected with one pair of pins, and a second linger engaging element carried by the other pin. 4 @LEM S. CLARKE. 

